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hogan_nj

got soil test results

hogan_nj
14 years ago

ph is 6.85

phosphorus 92

potassium 59

magnesium 382

CALCIUM 2302

Micronutrients

zinc 11

copper 5.9

maganese 25

boron 1.1

iron 171

They do not recommend adding limestone

What do think? What do you recommend I add as far as organic for my lawn? I really thought my lawn would need lime,I been here 8 years and never added any lime to my lawn.

Comments (9)

  • dchall_san_antonio
    14 years ago

    I suggest you visit three local feed stores and get the cheapest ground up grain you can find. It might be rabbit pellets. It will come in a brown 50-pound bag. The application rate will be 10-20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Give it three full weeks to work and stand by to be amazed at the deep green color.

  • hogan_nj
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks for advice but we currently have a problem with rabbits right now,will this make it worse? They drive my dogs crazy.

  • billhill
    14 years ago

    There is little you could do better for your lawn than switching to organic fertilizers. There are many to choose from. For me, the workhorse of organic fertilizer is soybean meal. It is rich in nitrogen, cost effective and usually available at farm animal feed stores. Many like to diversify their fertilizers by switching between soybean meal and corn meal or cracked corn, Alfalfa pellets (rabbit food) is also used. Commercial organic fertilizers are available from Scotts, Milorganite and others. Both are generally available at Lowes, Home Depot, or Mennards. Used Coffee grounds are very good and available free for the asking from Starbucks and other coffee stores. Cultural practices are very important. Mow high and water deeply but infrequently. Congratulations on your decision to switch to organic lawn care. If you spread alfalfa pellets just before a rain or irrigation, they will turn to mush and rabbits will not be interested in it.
    Bill Hill

    Here is a link that might be useful: Organic lawncare FAQ

  • Kimmsr
    14 years ago

    Your soil pH is in a very good range for turf grass and you do not need any lime. What does the lawn look like? Does it appear to need some food now? Is it growing quite well? Is it thick? The mowing and watering suggestions above are all good and that may be all you need until the fall.
    Keep in mind that Rutgers suggests feeding your lawn in late summer to early fall and then again in late fall if necessary, or if you miss that a feeding in mid June might be needed.

  • hogan_nj
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Well I went out today to cut the lawn.I set the blade for 3 3/4" and basically I drove around the lawn wasting gas,all I did was make tire tracks.

    This is the first time I set the mower soo high.I can see it now,when my wife get home she will ask what I did today and she will shoot me the look,shake her head and walk away.

    The grass just look like it needs something. I also started pulling weeds today,mostly dandelions and it got to a point I just gave up,just too many.

    This is going to get hard to get used to,my neighbors lawn looks cut and mine looks run over.

  • andy10917
    14 years ago

    Hogan_NJ:

    I know the feeling that you get at first about the mowing. I got the same thing. Then summer came along, and I started getting snide comments that I had to be cheating on watering since my lawn refused to go dormant during water restrictions when every other lawn did. I was known as the "midnight water man". I never cheated. There are articles that discuss a relationship between grass mowing height and root depth, and the advantage is to the high-mowed grass.

    Your soil test stuff looks OK for the most part - I wouldn't tweak it this year. The Calcium/Magnesium ratio is a little low, so the next time you lime (next year?) I'd use a Calcitic Lime instead of Dolomitic, but leave it alone for now - you don't want to push the pH any higher. Bumper crops of dandelions can be an indication of a Ca/Mg ratio under 7:1.

  • bpgreen
    14 years ago

    Some people don't like the high cut for the early spring because of the uneven growth that can occur. They'll set the mower lower for the first cut and raise it a notch at a time the next few mows until it's at the highest setting. I just leave it high and wait a few weeks for the grass to be the same height all over.

  • Kimmsr
    14 years ago

    If you are not cutting any grass why continue running a mower?

  • hogan_nj
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Well kimmsr I didn't continue after I realized the grass was not high enough.I just thought I would try to get some higher spots to make it look alittle more uniform.

    Thanks bp thats a good idea I will do that. Thank you for all replies. I am learning so much here,great info!

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